The Death of Socrates (1808)

What it is

This is a painting from 1808 showing the death of Socrates. It depicts a prison scene with an elderly bearded man seated among mourners, while a servant brings a cup, presumably containing the poison used in the execution. The work is held by the National Gallery of Denmark.

Why it matters

Socrates was sentenced to death and executed by poisoning in ancient Athens. This painting, made many centuries later, reflects how artists in the early 1800s continued to be fascinated by his final moments as a symbol of standing firm for one's beliefs even unto death. The emotional reactions of the surrounding figures — weeping, distress, attentiveness — show how the artist wanted viewers to interpret the scene's meaning.

Look closer

• Why do you think artists kept returning to this moment in Socrates's life centuries after it happened?
• How does the painting use the reactions of the people around Socrates to tell us how we should feel about his death?
• What parts of this scene are the artist's imagination rather than historical fact?